1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electro-optical device supporting device which holds the posture of a held member by interposing a flat flexible member extending from the held member in a vertical direction, and to a method of supporting an electro-optical device.
2. Related Art
In general, electro-optical devices, for example, liquid crystal devices have a structure in which liquid crystal is injected between two substrates, each of which is made of a glass substrate or a quartz substrate. Specifically, switching elements, such as a plurality of thin film transistors (hereinafter, referred to as TFTs) and pixel electrodes are disposed in a matrix in one substrate, a counter electrode is disposed in the other substrate, and image display is performed by varying optical characteristic of a liquid crystal layer interposed between both substrates according to image signals.
Further, an element substrate where the TFTs are disposed, and a counter substrate that is disposed to be opposite to the element substrate are individually manufactured. Then, the element substrate and the counter substrate are bonded to each other through a sealant in high precision (for example, alignment error within a range of 1 μm or less) in a panel assembling process.
The panel assembling process will be described in detail. First, alignment films for aligning liquid crystal molecules along substrate surfaces are formed on the surfaces of the element substrate and the counter substrate manufactured by processes of forming the substrates, which come into contact with a liquid crystal layer. Then, a baking process is performed, and a rubbing process is performed so as to determine alignment of the liquid crystal molecules when a voltage is not applied.
Then, in a case in which liquid crystal is injected between the element substrate and the counter substrate by using a method of sealing liquid crystal, a sealant that becomes an adhesive is coated on a sealant coating region of one of the element substrate and the counter substrate in a substantially circumferential shape, such that a notch portion is provided in a portion of the sealant. The element substrate and the counter substrate are bonded to each other by using the sealant. Then, alignment is performed, and compression and curing processes are performed. Then, liquid crystal is injected through the notch portion that is provided in the portion of the sealant, and the notch portion is sealed by a sealing member. In this way, the liquid crystal device is assembled.
Front ends of flexible printed circuits (hereinafter, referred to as FPCs), which electrically connect the liquid crystal device to an electronic apparatus, such as a projector or the like, are connected to terminal connecting portions that are disposed in the element substrate of the liquid crystal device assembled by using the above-mentioned method. In this case, the FPC is a flat member that has a specific length.
Then, exposed surfaces of the element substrate and the counter substrate in the liquid crystal device are subjected to a cleaning process using air, and dusts of the exposed surfaces are removed. Then, the liquid crystal device is carried, and a base end of the FPC is connected to the electronic apparatus, such as the projector. As a result, the liquid crystal device and the electronic apparatus are electrically connected to each other.
In this case, when various processes, such as an air cleaning process, are performed on the liquid crystal device, or when the liquid crystal device is carried, if the liquid crystal device is gripped by an operator, dusts may be adhered to the liquid crystal device from the operator, which causes defective display to occur in the liquid crystal device.
In order to resolve these problems, JP-A-2003-197712 discloses a technology in which in a state in which a held member is held by using a substrate carrying device having a carrying arm and a carrying hand connected to a front end of the carrying arm, since various processes and carrying are performed, various processes and carrying are automatically performed with respect to the held member.
However, according to the technology disclosed in JP-A-2003-197712, since the various processes and carrying are performed in a state in which the held member is held, when the held member is the liquid crystal device, cracks may be generated in an end surface of the held element substrate or counter substrate due to the carrying hand holding the liquid crystal device. Further, another technology has been known which holds the liquid crystal device by using an absorption method other than the carrying hand. However, according to this technology, the liquid crystal device may be dropped due to insufficient absorption.
In order to resolve these problems, a method has been suggested in which after a front end of an FPC is connected to a terminal connecting portion disposed in the element substrate of the liquid crystal device, various processes including a carrying process are performed in a state in which the FPC is supported. However, even in this case, since the FPC has a flexible property and a specific length, the liquid crystal device may be sagged in a downward direction that is a direction of gravity from the front end of the FPC, due to the gravity applied to the liquid crystal device. As a result, the connection between the front end of the FPC and the terminal connecting portion may be released.
Further, if the liquid crystal device is sagged downward from the front end of the FPC, when the various processes are performed on the liquid crystal device or when the liquid crystal device is carried, the liquid crystal device may come into contact with peripheral members, and cracks or the like may be generated in the liquid crystal device.